Moments Like These
by stars are brighter
Summary: Edward has been gone from Resembool for an entire year, traveling around the West and gathering research. But what happens when he comes back? These are the stories that were never told.  Royai, EdWin, and bits and pieces of LingFan and AlMei
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Worth the Wait

Roy Mustang sat idly at his desk, tapping away at the weathered wood work with the pencil that he gripped tightly with two fingers. About once every month, Edward Elric would either call or show up to dump some new Alchemy research into the archives before skipping out again – lost in his need for adventure. At_ least_ twice a week Winry Rockbell would call his office or Riza's, trying to get word of Ed to see if he was doing okay. Wanting to know if he was taking care of his automail leg and etcetera. That wasn't what bothered Roy. What bothered him was that the poor girl still hadn't even gotten a single letter from one very prominent oaf by the name of _Fullmetal._

This week, Edward was supposed to be coming in to write a few forms out on his investigations and explorations, traveling back all the way from the Xing province. Havoc, Fuery, Breda, Ross, and Hawkeye were all waiting in Roy's office, conversing heatedly in what would look to outsiders like a very tense battle.

"He hasn't even called her!"

"He hasn't even written her!"

"When's that stupid kid gonna wake up and smell the roses!" That last exclamation came from Havoc, who looked every bit as disgruntled as he felt, a cigarette hanging out of one side of his mouth while he frowned in Roy's direction.

The newly dubbed Fuhrer sighed, running a hand down his face in exasperation. "It's none of our business…"

"Winry Rockbell has been waiting on him for a year, hearing nothing but a few militaristic summaries on where he is and how he's doing! The time to take action _has come, _sir," Riza pointed out calmly but forcefully while rearranging files on his desk. She was sick and tired of having to console the poor girl and _definitely _tired of making excuses on Edward's behalf.

"Well…" Roy was only starting to consider it because of Riza's input. If she hadn't been here then he would have just simply ordered his other friends out of the office so he could get some peace and quiet. But now that he and Riza were actually engaged, eh… he couldn't just ignore her. "I guess… I could have a chat with him-"

A cheer arose from the small crowd of people in the room. Apparently they had been waiting for this for a long time.

"-next year."

The cheers died into frustrated mumblings and accusations about Roy's lack of compassion. Riza gave him a look that clearly said 'do-it-or-you're-going-to-be-sleeping-on-the-couch-for-our-wedding-day'. Roy sighed, continuing to tap his desk in silence for a long while until finally giving a curt nod. Fuery, Havoc, Breda, and the rest of them all seemed to brighten at this.

"You'll really do it, sir?" Fuery asked.

"Of course I will!" The Fuhrer snapped half heartedly. "Now get out. I've got… paperwork… to do."

Riza seemed to be particularly approving of this statement, but as everyone filed out all Roy proceeded to do was prop his heels up on the edge of the wood and grin roguishly. "Paperwork… hm… how about we just kiss instead-"

He was answered with a subtle kick to his shin. Roy's voice cut off abruptly with a squeak and he reached down to rub at the bruise. "_Ow…"_

"I'm afraid you asked for it, sir," Riza replied with grim amusement before pointing sternly at the files that were now neatly stacked. "Come on, _dear_. Your paperwork is waiting. Maybe you can kiss _it_ instead."

**xXx**

Edward Elric yawned as he settled comfortably into the seat of the train. His brown jacket had grown thinner over the course of the year, after so many travels had eaten away at the threads. He knew it would be high time to buy a new one soon and – even though he wished he could make a nice red one with Alchemy – doing things the old fashioned way was all he could manage nowadays, apparently. Traveling to the west of the globe had been his initial plan, but he always seemed to just… wander. Anyplace he thought interesting, that was where he would go. New information in a part of the country that _wasn't _to the west? He'd drop everything to go see it, not even thinking about calling Alphonse to see if his younger brother could journey there instead.

Speaking of Al, he had actually seen him quite recently when he had traveled to Xing. Edward had been searching for some ancient pieces of Alchemy in the Ruins of Xerxes, so he figured it would be fine to go the entire way to Xing – especially if he got to see Alphonse and May Chang both. Plus have incredibly awesome foreign food that tasted delectable.

He had had a lot of fun there. Ling – the new Emperor of the country – had persuaded Edward to help him spy on Lan Fan in the guard house. The former Alchemist hadn't really seen what the big deal was, since Lan Fan had only been doing her usual practice rounds with other Xingese warriors – but Ling Yao had obviously been captivated. That was just how much the Emperor loved her. Edward teased him about it later, but he had quickly stopped when he'd noticed Ling's far off stare, as if the guy was imagining something in his future. Ed had easily slipped away to find Alphonse and May, leaving Ling in his daydreams.

Edward's younger brother and the seventeenth Princess had been sitting under a tree and… and…

_Kissing? Are those two __**kissing! **_Edward had thought to himself, completely shocked. Needless to say he had gotten out of there in a hurry. If he'd somehow been spotted or if May had felt his aura then it would completely ruin the romantic moment for them both.

The Edward in the train chuckled at the memory, still half asleep as it pulled into the station. The sudden jolt of the stop made his eyes open and he yawned one last time, grabbing the suitcase at his feet and walking with a renewed burst of energy into the crowds of people.

He had barely gotten five yards ahead when he felt someone's fingers curl over his wrist. He stopped, fighting back the instinctual urge to yank his arm away until he turned to see the smiling face of Riza Hawkeye. Edward relaxed and switched the suitcase from one hand to the other, taking the blond womans' hand and shaking it firmly. "Hello, Lieutenant."

Was it just him, or did she look triumphant? As if catching him at the train station was some major accomplishment? This was getting sort of strange. "I'm afraid there's no time for greetings, Edward," she replied, beginning to walk ahead and motioning for him to follow. "Fuhrer Mustang is waiting for you in his office."

_Okay… weird…_

They walked for a long time until they reached the huge headquarters building. It sat on a perfectly trimmed green plot of land, and on the two double doors was a small newspaper article that said something about Colonel Mustang and how he had achieved his climb to power – and blah blah _blah. _Edward tore it off casually, seeming to smile a little brighter afterwards.

Riza didn't comment.

"Alert Fuhrer Mustang that Edward Elric is here to see him," she ordered a lower ranking officer who was standing outside, acting as one of the guards to the complex. He saluted and marched off to complete the command given. Ed and Riza strode inside and waited for a long while until they were admitted to the office.

Roy looked up lazily and he didn't seem very happy that Ed had arrived at all. Still, he wasted no time in pointing to the chair across from his desk. Edward considered making a run for it – since this behavior was utterly crazy to him – but Riza was blocking the only exit.

Instead of sitting down, the former Fullmetal just stood awkwardly behind the chair, leaning on it a little.

"Geez… Fullmetal, I thought you had some minor bit of intelligence pushed into that brain somewhere, but I suppose I was wrong about that."

Eyes widened and Edward was about to stand up for himself, but Roy held up a hand to stop him.

"You don't just have _minor _intelligence, you have _extraordinary _intelligence. Which leaves me completely confused about one… tiny… thing…" The Fuhrer paused, his voice growing dangerously low as frustration mounted. "_Why haven't you called that Rockbell girl yet! It's been a year, idiot! _Do you have _any_ idea how much she misses you? What the heck are you afraid of! The birds and the bees? Are you really that much of a wimp, or did I miss something when you were saving the country? _How is it that you can practically annihilate every Homunculus known to man, but you can't even call your own girlfriend!"_

For once in his nineteen years of life, Edward Elric was stunned into silence. His cheeks turned bright red in less than three seconds (a record, in Roy's opinion) and slowly spread to his entire face, making Ed look like a tomato that was ripe for the picking. Riza couldn't help feeling slightly sorry for the boy, but the Fuhrer wasn't done yet.

"If you thought I was just going to sit here for who-knows-how-many-years and try to help my fiancé console your woman, _then you thought wrong! _Now, you're going to pick up the phone and tell her that you're coming home, got it? Because I can't stand hearing her ask about you _or_ your stupid automail one last kriffin' time!"

Ed opened his mouth to say something at the same moment Roy opened his mouth to spout some more angry words, but Riza stopped the both of them. "I believe he understood, Roy. I'm sure he'll call her-"

"I can't."

They both turned their shocked expressions toward the barely audible squeak of protest from Edward. Now it was Riza's turn to get angry. "What… do… you… _mean?" _Her words came out sounding as if she were just dying to point a gun toward his skull.

"I just… I just can't."

"Care to explain yourself any further than that before I roast your eyeballs and eat them for my lunch?" Roy asked quietly, a sharp edge to his tone.

Ed looked slightly annoyed but – to the Fuhrer's chagrin – not very threatened. "Alright fine," the boy answered, his voice rising. If it was possible for his face to become even redder, then it definitely happened at that moment. "I'm _afraid to call her. _For a while I thought about it but whenever my hand went toward the phone… I froze. I don't know what came over me. Maybe you'd call it cold feet or something equally _un-scientific-" _he shot a glare in Roy's direction. "-but there you have it. After a couple months I figured she wouldn't even _want_ to hear from me so I decided to wait… and… and…"

"And now you're getting back on that train," Roy replied, his words so soft and angry all at the same time that even Riza quirked an eyebrow.

"What?" Ed asked incredulously. "But I just got here-"

"You're going to Resembool. I don't care if you're a civilian now or not, but I'm _ordering _you to go. Don't make me any more _upset than I already am, _Fullmetal."

As it happened, there was another train going from Central to Resembool. It pulled out twenty minutes after the conversation ended… and Edward Elric was riding on it.  
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**Well, that was the first chapter. It will get more interesting, I promise… but I had to start somewhere. XD I don't own FMA (obviously) but I do own this fanfic! Hope you like it! Oh, and give me some feed-back, okay? I'd love to hear from you all. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It's Been Too Long

Winry Rockbell leaned over a whimpering boy that sat on her work table, trying to pick out any failures in the automail. Nothing seemed out of place, but she knew the attachment process was quite painful… besides, the boy _was_ quite young. Come to think of it, he was about the same age as Edward when he had gotten his own 'mail.

"There we go…" she mumbled, tightening a screw to the left. "How does that feel, Jacen?"

"Uh… better."

"Good. I think your mom is waiting for you outside. You're free to go now. If it starts hurting that bad again, come on back and I'll try to fix it up as much as I can."

The boy nodded and hopped off the table, testing his new leg by walking a few steps and then running the rest of the way. "Thanks, Miss Rockbell!" he called over his shoulder. She nodded, smiling as she watched him leave.

Something began to swim before her vision, blurring her sight. What was wrong? Winry reached up to rub at her eyes and her fingers came back wet. _I'm crying? _How could she be crying? What was there to cry about…?_ Ed. That kid reminds me of Edward. I… wish he would call. I really wish… _

Her thoughts were cut off as she choked back a sob, sitting heavily down in a chair, resting her arms on the old wood and leaning forward to lay her head on the table. _That idiot… he still hasn't called me… it's been so long. I wonder if… something happened… maybe his automail gave out… maybe he… maybe… _

All the conclusions she could come up with were just _horrible. _But Winry had to make excuses for him. She had to believe that he really meant well, no matter what he did. Ed might have been thoughtless and ignorant at times but he could be caring too. He wouldn't forget about her... right?

Before Winry knew it, she was fast asleep, her dreams clouded with nightmares about what might have happened to her best friend.

**xXx**

Edward Elric walked quietly into the workshop/dining room, careful not to disturb its sleeping occupant. He had arrived on the train about two hours ago and would have been here sooner if he hadn't had to stop and chat with people who had also missed him while he was away. They would ask about where Alphonse was and he'd explain all about Xing and princesses and princes and Emperor's and how Al couldn't just leave his research to come and visit everyone in Resembool. They would say things like 'oh, what a shame' and he would nod solemnly, all the while wishing they would get lost so he could reach the Rockbell house before he became old and decrepit.

Ed dropped his bag, staring at the blond beauty before him with a slight smile on his face. It was nice to be the one watching _her_ sleep for once. It was also good that she was taking time to rest. If anybody needed it then it was Winry. When he got closer, Edward was surprised to see tears on her cheeks. Why had she been crying? _No… no it can't be because of me! I promised that I would only make her cry tears of joy. __**I promised her!**_

Yes, it might have sounded sappy, but a promise was a promise and Edward did _not _want to see her crying because of him. _This is all my fault, if I had just called her…_

Winry mumbled something. Ed crept closer; silently sitting down with his knees folded under her him, his bright yellow eyes searching her face. "Ed… no…"

Was she talking about him? Obviously Win was having some sort of dream.

"Sorry… its… sorry Ed… I can't… I can't…"

Can't what? Edward leaned so close that the tip of his nose could almost brush her forehead as he listened.

"Don't leave again… please… sorry…"

The mumblings could have been nothing at all, and yet Edward had the distinct feeling that it was important he hear what was going on inside her head. Why was Winry apologizing? Did she think it was her fault? Did she think he _liked_ being away from her? New tears traced themselves down her face and Edward could barely stand it. _Tears of joy, that's what I promised! And now look? This is all because me and my stupidity…_

"Winry…" he sighed under his breath.

"Sorry…"

"It isn't your_ fault," _Ed didn't know why he bothered talking to her when she was sound asleep, but instinct was urging him to do _something. _He couldn't just sit here, letting her wallow in misery. Tentatively he reached a hand forward to hold Winry's. The poor boy had never felt so embarrassed in his entire life, but it was a start anyway. "It's… all on me, Win. Don't worry yourself anymore, okay?"

She was slowly stirring awake, so Ed walked backwards out of the workplace and into the kitchen. After grabbing different sandwich items, he pushed the cabinet door closed with his automail foot, then slapped a few pieces of cheese and ham onto two slices of bread, cramming bite after bite into his mouth. _Man, I didn't realize how hungry I was. _Apparently, train rides did that to a person… and annoying neighbors as well.  
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**Second chapter is up! I know, I know, you were expecting him to kiss her, right? To be honest I really **_**was**_** thinking about making him do that, but it seemed a little unrealistic. I mean, come on, this is **_**Edward Elric. **_**Kissing Winry right off the bat just isn't what he would do. At least, not in my opinion. The next update will be soon! Stay tuned peeps! **

**Remember to review and tell me how I did. I love hearing what you think, whether you liked it or didn't like it. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Awake and Alive

Winry awoke to darkness. The lights in the house had all been turned off, probably by her grandmother Pinako – who was supposed to have been back from the store by now. Her body tensed when she realized there was an old quilt draped around her shoulders, keeping the chill out of her bones. She wondered, briefly, who had done that for her and then realized it must have been Pinako as well. After all, no one else was here… at least not to her knowledge. Something soft was curled up against her leg… or someone, that is. Winry shifted slightly and looked down into the sleeping face of her dog, Den.

"Hey there, buddy," the girl mumbled sleepily. She ran her fingers through her hair, letting the strands wisp away from her face. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Den let out a tired snort in reply, rolling over on his back with all four paws stuck up into the air. Winry bent down to scratch his belly half heartedly, rubbing at her eyes with her free hand at the same time. The tears that had fallen earlier were soon gone as she wiped them away, replaced with cherry tinted cheeks and just a slightly puffy nose.

"Guess it's time I moved to my bedroom, right Den? I must have been in here for a while."

"Yeah, you were."

Silence. Surprised _shock_ following soon after the words were spoken. Winry didn't dare lift her eyes from the floor, afraid that her mind was playing tricks on her. She couldn't _breathe _for a long time, her body's natural reaction to such an astonishment making her freeze. Minutes seemed to pass, in which her hand slowly inched toward her wrench, her eyes still situated firmly on the ground. The girl found that she was… shaking, ever so slightly.

"_You… _how… how could you…?" Winry didn't understand how her voice could be so mouse-like, but it was. She struggled to hold in tears, remembering all the times she had hovered around the phone, practically pleading it to ring. "_You… you…" _

There was no such word she could call him at this moment to describe her anger and frustration. She wanted _one _word to explain the feelings rushing through her veins… but there wasn't any available to her. _Oh dear lord, hear my prayer, please hold me back from cracking his skull open with this wrench. _Unfortunately, self control was not present in her enraged mind set. Winry was one second away from throwing her whole tool box at him, when she felt cool fingers wrap themselves over the hand that had yet to reach her trusty skull-cracker.

"Hey… Winry…"

He was really back, then? It wasn't a mirage? How convenient. Now she really _could_ split his head like a watermelon. However, even with these thoughts racing through her mind, she still wasn't able to move her fist. Edward was holding it calmly but firmly with one of his own hands, an apologetic expression on his face. "Sorry if I startled you-"

"Startled me? I've been waiting for you for a year! You could have _called!" _

"I… was going to… but I…" he tried futilely to argue with her, his face turning bright red in the process. Still, he didn't loosen his grip, probably afraid she was still angry enough to hit him.

"Come on and explain yourself, Ed!"

"I just couldn't, that's all!"

"What? 'That's all'? You idiot…" Her voice had become softer now though and she looked as if she were fighting back more tears. Edward decided to let go of her hand, risking the chance of her wrench connecting with his head. What happened was _not _what he had been expecting in the least, however.

She hugged him. Winry actually _hugged him. _After all he'd done to make her cry; she was still going to forgive him for it. For a moment Edward went stock still, but quickly recovered and moved his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his chest. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Stupid…"

"Yeah…"

"Self centered..."

"Okay, I think that's enough-"

"Thoughtless about other people's feelings-"

"O_kay, Winry! I get it." _

She chuckled shortly but the sound was muffled by his shirt. Ed gripped her shoulders and drew her away from him, looking straight into her eyes and sighing. "Sorry."

"I forgive-"

"No, really_… I'm sorry_. It won't ever happen again. And when I say that, I mean it won't _ever_ happen. From now on, when I go somewhere, you go with me."

Her smile seemed genuine, so Edward felt pretty darn proud of himself at that moment. She hadn't cried again. He'd been here to stop the sadness. Next time, he assured himself, they really _would_ be tears of joy. Ed stepped away, suddenly realizing that his hands had still been touching her shoulders. This produced an awkward moment, in which Winry and Edward proceeded to blush furiously. They mumbled something about it being pretty late and how they both needed to hit the sack. Just as the two were about to go their separate ways, Winry stopped.

"Hey… Edward…?"

He stopped as well, his back turned toward the blond girl. "Mhmm?"

"Can you… uh…"

"What?"

"Just turn around… for a second... please?"

Edward wasn't sure where she was going with this, but he turned around all the same, blushing even more furiously than before. "What is it, Win-"

The sentence was cut short as her lips connected with his. It was like sweet moment of victory for Winry. Not only had the girl gotten to see him just as shocked as she had been when he first arrived, she had finally done the one thing her brain had been telling her to do for years. A grin stretched across her face as she stepped back. "Goodnight Ed."

"N-n-ni… n… night…"

With that, Winry was up the stairs, her face as red as a tomato. When she was finally cowering under her covers – lips still tingling – Winry wondered what she was going to do now. How could she face Edward in the morning if it had been this embarrassing to kiss him? She was nineteen, for goodness sakes! This was supposed to be easy… right?

How could life be so complicated!

It was a very long time before she fell asleep. In that time, Winry made two promises to herself. Number one, she would _never _cry when Edward was here. That was just too humiliating (besides, Winry was afraid he might not take her with him on any of his trips if she didn't act strong). Number two, she would suck up her embarrassment and kiss him again one of these days. Because… technically… he _had_ asked her to marry him. So she thought she kind of had a right to, now.

Sleep soon overtook her senses once again.

**xXx**

Pinako sat outside in one of their lawn chairs, smoking on her pipe and staring up into the dark abyss that was swimming with stars. The old woman could get lost in those stars, as mesmerizing as they were. At the moment, her granddaughter and surrogate grandson were floating around in Pinako's mind. She wasn't sure what to do about the two of them. It was obvious to everyone that they were in love. The only people who didn't seem to understand that fact was Winry and Edward.

"Crazy kids these days… can't even accept the truth," she mumbled.

Pinako had seen the two kissing… or… well, Winry had kissed Edward. She wasn't exactly sure how that had sat with him. Still, the woman was almost sure that if Winry hadn't made the first 'move' as it were, things would sit in limbo for months until he got enough guts to do it himself. She couldn't help chuckling, a ring of smoke drifting up into the clouds as she puffed contentedly. For years she had been waiting for this day. Alphonse would often talk with her, saying he couldn't believe Ed hadn't told Win how much he loved her. Pinako had always said that Edward _might _have done something if he had _known_ how much he loved her.

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Al would answer indignantly. "He practically drools whenever she turns his back on him."

"That's just the way Edward is," Pinako had replied. "Sort of dumb, y'know."

Now, sitting with her eyes pointed toward the stars, Pinako truly felt peaceful. Maybe it was the thought that when she died Winry would be taken care of… or maybe, just maybe, she was happy that her grandmotherly prediction of the future was coming true.

**xXx**

Edward made his way up the staircase, flinching at every squeak the wooden steps would utter. His hand gripped the banister, but he still felt slightly disoriented. _Winry kissed me… she actually… kissed me. _Even though they were technically – cue nervous swallow – _engaged, _Ed hadn't been expecting that. He didn't exactly know why he hadn't been expecting it, but he just _hadn't been_ and that was that.

"_Oof!" _The wind was knocked out of him as he ran right into the nearest wall after reaching the top floor. Edward rubbed the knot on his forehead irritably. He hadn't been looking where he was going. In fact, the realization dawned on Edward that Winry's room was right across from where he was standing. The door was slightly ajar, so he crept forward, pushing it open all the way and leaning against the doorway. The frown was soon replaced with a very small smile. She was so beautiful, and yet he'd never told her how much she took his breath away.

"Guess what, Winry," Edward sighed through his teeth. "I think I love you."

**xXx**

**This chapter was written while I listened to the song 'Stop and Stare by One Republic'. Major muse builder right there, heh. Thanks for anyone and everyone who reviewed or will review! I would send you cookies if I could 3. I'm trying my best not to make Winry or Edward sound out of character, so I'd love to know if you think I'm getting their personalities right. If I'm not, tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Warmth

The funny thing about embarrassing moments is that you don't seem to forget them in a hurry. Nor do you forget the person who _made_ you feel embarrassed in the first place. However, most people will try to ignore the fact that it ever happened and basically pretend everything is as it was before the incident occurred. Pinako Rockbell was thinking this over as her eyes fell upon two young people who were standing on opposite sides of the kitchen, making their breakfasts. The first person she observed was Edward Elric, who was thoroughly engaged in mixing his oatmeal, even though it was about as mushy as it would ever get. Winry, her granddaughter, was next. The girls' face was a lot more nervous than usual, and she seemed to be having a hard time concentrating on buttering pieces of bread at the same time as trying to glance toward Ed without him noticing.

_Hopeless. Utterly hopeless. _

With a sigh, Pinako drew out her pipe and pointed it at the both of them, her tone stern as she spoke. "Winry, Edward, I'm feeling rather tired this morning. Would the both of you mind making me some breakfast? I think bacon and eggs will do."

Ed and Winry turned at the same time, their voices almost colliding with eachother in the tense atmosphere. "Bacon! Eggs!"

"Hmph. Is that so much to ask-"

"No, of course not, granny," Winry amended. "I'll… umm… I'll do the eggs."

"And I'll get the bacon."

The both of them moved in sync, knocking heads as they bent down to retrieve the necessary supplies. Pinako couldn't help inwardly laughing. This was going to be even better than she planned. Not only had she put the eggs and bacon in the same place, she had also stashed every other ingredients in close quarters so that the two youngsters would have a hard time getting at it at the same time without brushing shoulders or touching at least a little bit.

Edward had known something was up with Pinako the minute she asked for them to make her breakfast. The old woman was as stubborn as a donkey and about two hundred times more independent than either him or Winry, so she wouldn't just hand over the job of making breakfast without a fight unless she had something up her sleeve. The workings of that 'something' were immediately clear after five times of brushing hands with Win even if he hadn't meant to.

"Granny… you old hag…" he muttered under his breath, cursing right after with both foreign words and known ones. Winry raised an eyebrow after getting wind of a few; then stuck her hands in the pockets of her cargo pants and leaned back-first against the counter to let him pass.

"Don't be so short tempered," the girl said, exhaling through clenched teeth. "It's not that big of a deal."

It wasn't until about two seconds later that she remembered just how sensitive Ed was about the word 'short'. Sure enough, his face had turned bright red – and not from embarrassment this time.

"Just who the heck do you think you're callin' short! I'm at _least_ two inches taller than you now-"

"Yeah, _such_ an accomplishment!" Winry scoffed. "As if it makes a difference. You'll always be a pipsqueak to me."

"DON'T CALL ME SHORT, SKINNY BUTT!"

"OH SHUT UP AND STOP BEING SUCH AN IDIOT BABY ALL THE TIME! GROW UP FOR ONCE! THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE! BESIDES, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY BUTT ANYWAY?"

"STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT, SKINNY!"

"SHORTY-"

"_**ENOUGH!"**_

Both turned once again to face the scowling features of Pinako. The woman had her hands on her hips and was looking about as happy as someone who was being stabbed through the eye with a rusty wrench. "Get out of my house, _both of you! _If you can't get along inside, then maybe some fresh air will do those lungs of yours some good. Out! Out! Get out!"

She shooed them onto the front porch and shut the door in their faces. They had barely stopped shouting at eachother long enough to even hear the _click_ of the lock.

"You're so ungrateful!" Winry shouted, though she didn't seem as hyped as before. "We've waited here this entire time for you to come back and you couldn't even fix granny breakfast!_"_

"You called me short!"

"What does that even have to do with this conversation!"

"It has everything to do with this conversation!"

"This isn't a conversation, this is an argument!"

"An argument!"

"An _argument! And I'm winning." _

"Blockhead."

"Dumb bunny."

They both stomped down the steps and away to different sides of the yard, crossing their arms against their chests and being stubborn as mules. Strangely a lot like Pinako. The old woman groaned as she watched them through the window, and then tipped her head curiously when she noticed something strange. Edward's shoulders, after a couple minutes, had begun shaking and he looked as though he were having a hard time keeping something from spilling out of his lips – since they were pursed together rather tightly.

_What the…?_

Suddenly, he burst out laughing. Pinako couldn't remember a time she had seen him laugh so hard. Tears fell down his cheeks and he leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees and pursing his lips together again – only to have guffaws tumble out from them a second later. Winry looked over at him, puzzled, completely taken off guard by his weird behavior.

"Umm… Ed… you okay?"

He didn't stop. In fact his laughing just seemed to grow louder at her words. The sides of Winry's own lips were twitching and – to Pinako's surprise and amusement – she also began to laugh almost as hard as her long time friend.

"I—i—diot…"

"A—a—utomail g—geek!"

The older lady's face was practically stuck to the window; she was so engrossed in the events taking place on her front lawn. The phone began to ring, but she let it keep on until finally dragging herself over to pick up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hello, granny?"

"Alphonse!"

"Hi granny Pinako!" The cheerful voice of her other surrogate grandson was a joy to hear, but she still wanted to see what was going on in the outside and didn't want this conversation to turn into one of Al's 'I-love-kittens-and-they-have-so-many-in-Xing!' talks.

"I need to get going, so is there something wrong?"

"What's happening? Why do you need to leave?" His voice sounded sort of hurt.

Pinako sighed through her nose irritably. "Winry and Edward are having a 'moment' and I want to see how it plays out, if that's alright with you, squirt!"

"A… a moment? Y-you mean…? It's finally happening! Are they kissing yet-"

"Alphonse!"

"Sorry…"

"Well if it means that much to you…"

"Tell me everything granny!"

And so she proceeded to spell out the last couple days in infinite detail, going over everything from the minute Ed had arrived to the very last second of their laughing spasms.

"They… they're laughing, huh? Is that a good thing?"

"To be honest, I'm not at all sure. I suppose it is, as long as they aren't laughing at _eachother." _

"Call me the minute something happens! May-chan and I are waiting in total suspense!"

"Yeah yeah, have fun with your girlfriend."

"She isn't my-"

Pinako hung up before Al could protest, scurrying back to the window and staring – openmouthed mouthed and wide eyed – at what she saw.

The two were together now, Ed's forehead on Winry's and a small smile on his face as he stared into her big, sky-blue eyes. His hands were situated on her shoulders while hers were around his waist – both of them looking incredibly content despite how embarrassed they had been the night before. This was like a show in a move theater for Pinako. She squished her wrinkled face against the glass so hard that it would almost surely leave smudges later.

Edward leaned forward, his lips brushing Winry's ever so slightly while she closed her eyes and smiled. Finally – to Pinako's great relief (hey, she had thought this would _never_ come!) – The boy indulged himself; moving forward for a full-fledged kiss. Winry could barely keep herself from grinning against his lips.

For her – and for him, Pinako was sure – this was heaven. She sighed. Resembool didn't often get moments like these.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Strength

The world is full of people who work too hard. Edward was painfully aware of this fact. It wasn't him who worked too hard (though, on occasion, he would pull an all-nighter), no, it was Winry Rockbell. His fiancé just didn't seem to get the concept of 'rest'. Her hands were forever stuck into a pile of machinery or screwing here and there on an automail piece. Even when he warned her that her eyelids were drooping and she was sweating up a storm – the woman just refused to _listen. _That was why it was no surprise when – two weeks after his arrival at the Rockbell home – Pinako knocked loudly on his bedroom door at six in the morning.

Unfortunately Edward Elric never was and never hoped to be an early riser. He groaned, pulling the sheets up to his eyeballs and shifting so that his back faced the door. "Go… away…" he grumbled irritably. "I'm tryin' to sleep here, old hag."

"Stop being so disrespectful to your elders!"

"Aha! …You admit it."

"I do not."

Ed didn't care either way at the moment. All he wanted was for granny to leave him alone and let him sleep. Right when he was about to slip back into dream world, he felt a tug on the covers and a second later – _whoosh! _The bedspread and the top sheet had disappeared. Well… not 'exactly' disappeared. Yanked off, was more like it.

In less than a minute, Ed was blinking back blurriness in his eyes and yawning while wearing nothing but blue boxer shorts with pictures of cows and sheep printed on it (Resembool didn't have much of a clothing line, to be honest).

"What _is it, _granny?"

"There's something wrong with Win," Pinako answered almost instantly, obviously wasting no time. "She stumbled around this morning and looked as if she were about to drop at any moment. She hasn't slept for _days. _A person can only live so long on coffee and willpower, Ed."

This news was troubling, but not as much as what came next. "My granddaughter is stubborn. When a goal arises, she has to reach the end of it. This time of year there are a lot of people whose joints get achy because of the warm and rainy weather. More customers for her 'healing touch' means more work and less rest for Winry. But this year… this year, she's trying something new. Some plans that have been taking up all her time. She doesn't usually go as far as to stay up all night for four days straight and then agonize over documents and mechanics for the rest of her free time. I'm afraid it's starting to get to her. She's going to collapse if someone doesn't step in soon."

This was a big problem. Not only did Ed have little confidence in his ability to somehow trick Winry into going to sleep, he also couldn't relate much to her mechanical expertise. There didn't seem to be any good way to tackle this situation. He decided to try the direct approach first.

Pulling on some brown flannel pants and a white shirt, Edward clomped noisily downstairs with Pinako following close behind. His eyes still seemed slightly glazed, but the older woman was sure he could get the younger girl to cooperate _somehow. _

"No."

Winry's answer startled the both of them. They hadn't even asked the question yet and she already seemed to understand what they wanted. Her blond hair was braided this time, bangs clipped to the side of her head to keep them out of her eyes. Sweat poured down her face as she tinkered with a complicated looking object that Edward had never seen before. She still looked strikingly beautiful to him, as always, but there was also something rather depressing about seeing Winry this tired.

"Winry, it's probably best if you get some sleep," Ed appealed. "We're both worried about your health."

"Stress can sometimes render sickness in people," Pinako snapped readily. "We don't want you to end up passing out because you didn't get enough rest."

Winry looked up at them, exasperated and annoyed all at the same time. "I'm fine. Now shoo, before I throw my wrench."

This was characteristically harsh of the girl, but Ed was sure it was all because of her stress levels. He ground his teeth together, trying desperately to figure out a way to convince his fiancé to take a little time to relax. "Win-"

"I said _no!" _

"Well I say, yes! You're wearing yourself thin."

"Thin…" her voice sounded really detached. "Yeah… yeah that's right! Ed, you're a genius!"

He blinked in confusion while Winry leaned forward and starting scribbling some more on the automail design, muttering about 'thinning out the insulation' or something like that. Edward wondered, at times, if she purposefully said and did things like this just to irk him. Even so, he wasn't going to let her get away without sleep.

"Come on, automail geek," he ordered, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the chair. She might have put up more of a fight if she hadn't been so tired (which frankly worried Ed even more). Before Winry could protest, he was yanking her up the stairs and pointing with vigor toward her bedroom door. "You're going to rest even if it kills you-"

"No way!" Apparently she had regained her voice in that split second of time when Ed had paused. "I'm outta here, alchemy freak." Win had slipped her fingers out of his hand and was now tromping down the stairs, back to her machinery. He idly thought about going after her and slinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, but decided against it. After all, he'd avoided the wrench for a long time and he didn't want to break his record. This presented the same problem over again. How was Edward supposed to drag a screaming Winry up the stairs, slap her in her bedroom, and expect her to be happy about it? No, this called for drastic measures, and the only person he could think of to ask for help was…

_No way. Not happening. _

That was his first thought. However after three more failed attempts at trying to get Winry to her room, he admitted that the time had come. The man walked to the telephone and picked it up, hesitating at least a dozen times before dialing the number. Almost immediately, Riza Hawkeye answered.

"Hello?"

"Lieutenant Hawkeye? This is Edward Elric."

"Oh! Edward. It's nice to hear from you. How is Winry doing?"

"Not very well, actually. That's why I called. Would… you put Mustang on the phone?"

There was shocked silence for a few moments before Riza finally stammered out an agreement. A few seconds later, Edward heard Roy's usual insulting greeting. "Hey there, pipsqueak. Did you get her pregnant yet or something?"

"Gah…"

"Don't tell me you haven't, because I won't believe you," there was definite amusement behind those words. Roy probably knew exactly how red Edward's face was right now and was intentionally seeking to make it even worse. "Not my fault if you have no self control…"

"Shut up already!" Edward hissed into the phone line. "_She isn't pregnant! _Besides, stupid, the only reason I called you was because I needed some advice. But if you'd like to get on my back and make me a source of entertainment then you can just forget I ever called."

"Huh? Advice?" Roy's attention had been grabbed. He couldn't think of a time when Edward had ever asked _him _for advice, at least not directly.

"Yeah. Its Winry. She's not doing so great lately, and it's because she's working herself too hard. I've tried to get her to sleep some, but she refuses to listen."

"Is that all? If it were me, I would have stuck a sedative in her butt a long time ago."

_Why does he insist on making me feel so uncomfortable? _Ed thought, fidgeting slightly. "That's… a little… much… don't you think?"

There was a pause, and even though Roy had his hand over the phone, Ed could still hear the background voices as he conversed for a moment with Riza. "Hey, hon, what would you do if I ever sedated you?"

Silence reigned for a long time until Riza's perfectly calm and collected answer was given. "To be perfectly honest, I would break both of your arms, Roy. So don't go trying that one me any time soon."

"Uh…" There was a nervous chuckle from Mustang. "Don't worry, dear. I would never think of doing such a thing to you. It's for Edward."

"You want to sedate Edward?"

"No. No that's not what I meant at all. Oh, look at the time; shouldn't you be doing my paperwork right now?"

"Whatever you say, sir."

Ed sighed over the phone, tapping his finger against the table and waiting for Roy to start talking to him once again. "You still there, Mustang?"

"Indeed. Like I said, sedate her. It's not as if you'll have both of _your_ arms broken. Though I can't guarantee your complete safety…"

"Thanks for the 'help'," Edward hung up the phone, an exasperated look plastered on his face. Pinako – who had been sitting nearby – shrugged her shoulders.

"Doesn't seem like bad advice to me. We've got all the necessary medication and everything, if you want to try it. I would also recommend hiding all her wrenches beforehand."

**xXx**

"Ed, what do you think you're doing?"

Edward stood, both hands behind his back, and the sedation shot in his right. He was not going to let her see it – that was for sure. He grinned sheepishly. "Nothing."

"Nothing, huh? What kind of an idiot do you take me for?"

The girl had her favorite tool – a wrench (one that Edward hadn't, unfortunately, been able to get away from her) – and glaring bloody murder in his direction. A sleep deprived Winry was not a happy Winry. She flipped some blond hair behind her back and put both hands on her hips in a defiant fashion. "If you're plotting some sort of scheme to get me to rest, you've got another thing comin'. Do you have any idea how many screws I need to fit into the newest models? They won't do it themselves, you know."

He was slowly inching forward, wielding the 'tool of sleep' with great care behind his back. Pinako had versed him on how to administer a shot – making him go over every tiny detail so he wouldn't do something stupid like inject air on accident or give the wrong dosage.

"Come on, Winry. You know me better than that. I wouldn't do anything-"

"Why are you backing me into a corner…?"

"Besides, it isn't like I could really win this thing. If you wanna stay up, well… that's your call…"

"Ed…"

"Don't be so stiff-_SDKHFDJK?"_ That rather loud clipped exclamation at the end of his sentence was because Winry's wrench had suddenly crashed against his skull, rendering the poor boy howling in pain on the floor, holding his sore forehead with his free hand. The sedative was utterly exposed now – and Winry now knew exactly what he was up to.

"Edward… Elric… you have a nasty habit of making me very angry. Maybe you should back it up a little."

He groaned and picked himself up off the floor, wielding the sedative as if it were some sort of weapon. "It won't hurt Win. Just a prick, that's all it is."

"I'm not afraid of needles, idiot. But I don't have _time_ to sleep right now. So keep your hands off!"

However, even the threats were not preventing Edward from backing her up against a wall and holding the sedative at the ready. "Stop your squirming! You're acting like a little kid, Winry."

"Don't talk to _me_ about acting like a little kid, dummy! You hate needles! I don't think you've had a shot in _years!_"

"That's beside the point."

Her wrench was still in one hand, though Ed was able to kind of put his arm up as a shield – wincing as she smacked the tool against any visible part of his body. _I'm going to be bruised tomorrow and all because of her stubbornness! _He decided to go on the offensive. Lunging at her, Edward knocked the girl to the floor and basically grabbed her in a bear hug, stabbing the needle into her thigh and breathing a sigh of relief – even though her wrench was still actively hitting him over the head the entire time she was slipping into unconsciousness.

"Dumb… idiot…" she mumbled. "I said… to… keep your… hands… off…"

"My apologies," he answered, grinning like mad. "Not exactly the most _orthodox _way of going about things… but all the same, 'night Winry."

"Mhm…"

With that, she was totally asleep. Her grip slackened and he stood, getting behind her and pulling her into a sitting position. Edward put one hand underneath her legs and the other under her head to support it, hefting her up and slowly making his way up the stairs. It was definitely painful, since bruises were already beginning to form all over his forehead and arms, but… it was also worth it.

"Have a good one, Win," Edward whispered, lying her down on the bed and pulling the sheet over her shoulders. She would be asleep for at least a day or so – time enough for him to get _another_ sedative ready when she woke up, followed by _another, _until he was satisfied that she had gotten just enough rest.

Unfortunately, Ed's head was pounding and his arms felt like lead… so now was not the time for thinking. Now was the time for ice bags and maybe, just maybe, a nap or two for himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

**I WILL NOT CRY **

* * *

><p><em>The world was very drab that day. Everything seemed to reject any inkling of happiness – at least, that's how it seemed to the young eyes of Edward and Alphonse Elric. They were studying as per usual in their bedroom, when suddenly Al spoke up excitedly. "Let's go see what Winry's doing, brother!"<em>

_There was nothing better, and the gloomy atmosphere was really starting to get on Ed's nerves, so he readily agreed. The two boys bid goodbye to their mother, who was hanging up laundry, and began walking slowly over to their friends' house. They never knocked anymore – rather, they just as soon let themselves in. This home seemed like an extension of their own anyway, since they regarded both Pinako and the Rockbell trio as family. _

_The house was just as gloomy as the outdoors. Pinako wasn't around and all the lights were off. Edward didn't seem fazed by it in the least. He shrugged, strolling into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets and kicking open the refrigerator door. Alphonse watched him quietly as he rummaged around for food, then turned his attention to the stairway. _

"_Hey, brother?" _

"_Yeah? What is it, Al?" Edward answered, his voice muffled by the fridge. _

"_I don't see Winry anywhere. Do you think that she and granny went to pick something up from the store?" _

"_I don't-" Ed stopped mid sentence, raising his head from the cooling unit, his eyebrows furrowed. "Come to think of it… Winry doesn't leave the door unlocked when Pinako leaves… and… why are the lights out?" _

_Alphonse didn't mention that he himself had noticed all this the moment they walked in. He figured his brother was just oblivious to his surroundings when hungry. Suddenly they heard small feet clomping down the stairs and a moment later Winry came into view. She was wearing a pink dress that reached down a little bit past her knees, and her hair was short and loose, hanging below her ears like finely crafted straw. None of _that _escaped Edward's notice (which didn't surprise Alphonse. He'd always known that his brother had a crush on Winry), but there was something off about her as well. For one thing, her eyes and nose were red, as if she had been crying, and even now… she looked as if she were trying not to tear up. _

"_W-What are you guys doing here?" Win asked, her voice quivering. "You shouldn't eat… eat f-food… without asking… f-first…" _

"_Winry?" Edward took a step toward her, and she tensed. "Are you alright?"_

"_I'm just fine!" She shouted angrily, balling her little hands into fists. "N-Nothing is w-wrong!" _

"_Is too!" _

"_Is NOT!" _

_Now Edward knew for sure that something was seriously hurting her, and he suspected that (judging from her tear stained face) it had to be her heart. Alphonse stood stock still, not sure exactly what he should do. He was more composed than his brother, after all, and found no pleasure in arguing with the Rockbell girl. _

"_Tell me! Tell me what's the matter, Win," Edward demanded. She looked really frustrated, but closed her eyes. Tears pinched out from beneath her eyelids and slid slowly down her face, dropping onto the wooden floorboards._

"_**They're DEAD!"**_

* * *

><p>Edward woke abruptly, his limbs hurting from the previous nights of sitting beside Winry's bed and making sure she got some much needed rest. The first time she'd woken up had not been pleasant, mainly because she'd used her fists instead of her wrench to pummel him. Luckily (and thanks to his rigorous military training) he had managed to subdue her long enough for Pinako to come in and knock her out with some more sedative. <em>But geez, <em>could she punch hard. They were going to let her out of bed today, to start work again, but only on the promise that she refrain from bruising him with automail tools or anything else for that matter, _and _that she be careful not to stress herself out too much.

The nightmares were back for him. It had been a while since he had had one (the happiness that came with being around Winry and granny was enough to have them pushed to the back of his mind), but with time came remembrances, and he certainly had enough bad memories to make for some pretty horrible dreams. Ed recognized this most recent one as a part of what had happened after Winry's parents died. He wracked his brain, but couldn't remember the events after that. It had been so long ago, after all.

Yawning, Edward slid off his bed and pulled on some pants (because, frankly, it would be embarrassing to go downstairs dressed only in boxer shorts with farm animals printed on them) and shirt, then walked half heartedly downstairs. Winry was sitting at the dining room table, spooning cereal into her mouth at the same time as boring holes into his skull with her narrowed blue eyes. When he began to turn toward her, she froze and then waved her spoon in his direction menacingly.

"Don't even think about coming any closer, Alchemy Freak."

"Ah, come on, Win-"

"I mean it, Ed!"

_This is what I get for trying to take care of her. So much work for nothing. _His face took on a slightly irritated expression, but he proceeded to bang around the kitchen, throwing milk and cereal into a bowl for himself and then plunking down in the chair across from her. It was only after this that Ed remembered he didn't _like _milk, and quickly hurried to feed the offending breakfast to Den.

"You shouldn't waste food," Winry said sullenly.

_Is she PMS'ing or what? _Ed thought to himself, sighing. Then, without warning, he spoke. "Do you ever have nightmares?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. A low embarrassed blush spread over his face. "I mean… sorry… you don't have to… answer…"

Edward stopped as soon as he saw her face. She seemed… surprised? Stricken? Yes, stricken was more like it. The girl shifted uncomfortably in her chair, looking anywhere and everywhere but at the man sitting across from her. "N-Nightmares? Of course not… I got… over those a long time ago."

Ed didn't fail to hear the slight stutter in her voice. "Win-"

"I'm going to clean up now! Yeah, yeah that sounds… good. I'm sure granny would appreciate it. You know how she gets about us doing our fair share of chores, and her legs are way too small for her to reach the sink now anyway. Yes, umm… dishes… are nice."

Winry seemed almost frantic to get out of there. Ed raised an eyebrow curiously, but watched none the less as his fiancé walked hurriedly over to the sink, slapping the dishes in just as fast. After a while (and much thinking on his part) Ed stood and ambled on over to her, getting a hand towel and helping her dry the bowls. "So… no nightmares… gotcha…" he said. His tone was seemingly nonchalant, but anyone with half an ear would be able to notice the slight interest tangled into it. Winry nodded resolutely.

"No nightmares. Ever."

"Mhm… sure. I had one, you know. Just last night. It was about the time when your parents… well, it was after that. When Alphonse and I came over and saw you crying."

Winry had stopped completely, averting her eyes from Edward's. "I see. That… sounds…"

"Pretty awful. It was a terrible dream," he noted.

"I remember that day," Win answered, quietly. "It was… a long time ago, but I remember it still. You were digging in our fridge or something before I greeted you, and I could hear Alphonse asking where I was."

Ed winced at an image of Winry, the girl he _loved _with everything in him, sobbing alone in her room for hours upon end when she was little. It hadn't been easy afterwards, that was for sure. He could remember it clearly now as well. Alphonse, with his soft voice, trying to comfort her while he, being as awkward as usual, settled for standing close and patting her shoulder every now and then with his face burning. He couldn't recall if his face had been burning because of embarrassment or sadness. Maybe both? It didn't matter now, but Edward found the thought of his childhood amusing and would have liked to remember that on top of everything else.

From then on there was silence. Winry, who didn't want to bring up the subject of nightmares again for reasons unknown to Edward, briskly went to her workshop and began tinkering almost immediately. Ed, on the other hand, was content to sit down and read the Resembool newspapers (even if there wasn't anything interesting in them). His thoughts were distracted, trying to figure out why in the world his fiancé had avoided him like that.

Why would she lie about having nightmares? What didn't she want him to know?

* * *

><p><strong>Oooh. Cliffhanger. I'm so mean, huh? Keep checking back for the next installment! ;)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
>NIGHTMARES<strong>

* * *

><p>Edward wasn't able to sleep that night. His room seemed oddly devoid of any life, even if he was still breathing and <em>living <em>as usual. Turning over in bed, he shielded his eyes with his arm even though there wasn't any light in the room. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned over again, trying to find some middle line between sleep and light resting. The words Winry had spoken before, the ones denying that she had nightmares kept gnawing at him. It was clear as day that she had been _lying! _But then, why would she lie? A few possibilities ran through Edwards' mind, the most prominent being the suspicion that she hadn't wanted to seem weak – that ever present stubbornness that had gotten her into trouble on many occasion.

The crickets outside contributed to his lack of sleep. Being in the military had meant that Edward had to get used to sleeping in many different places, but he wasn't yet accustomed to the constant noises of the outside. With a sigh, there wasn't much to do but take a walk. He figured that if he could shout a few things at those bugs, then it might make him feel a little better. Besides, granny always seemed to be sitting on the porch and ready to give advice at a moment's notice. Ed wondered if she had some sort of radar that automatically told her when they _needed _advice.

He was just getting ready to pass by Winry's room, but stopped abruptly when he heard her tossing and turning in her own bed. She was mumbling under her breath, eyes screwed shut and working up a sweat. The automail mechanic was _definitely _having a nightmare. He pondered on what he should do. Wake her up? Then again, if he did that, Win might think he'd been watching her on purpose. That would be embarrassing _and _tiring (even though he needed the latter, the former seemed like too much of a hassle). But just watching the girl was making his heart wrench. He couldn't let her keep going on like this. If it was painful for him to watch, then it had to be ten times worse to experience the nightmare firsthand.

Then, she started crying.

You must understand that Edward was not a person to give into his depression or sadness. Seeing as Winry was a lot like him in that respect, it was surprising to see her crying like this all because of a _dream _she was having. She began _sobbing. _That was it. He couldn't stand it anymore. It only took seconds for Edward to wrap his arms around the girl and hold her to his chest. Winry didn't stop crying, though she held on tight to him – her fingers making imprints on his skin. "Uh," he said, stroking her hair. "It's alright, Winry."

He felt as if he was the one lying to her now. How could everything 'be alright' if she was crying like this? Almost without meaning to, Edward held her tighter. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in the faint smell of machinery that always seemed to cling onto automail mechanics. It was _her _scent, and he loved it. He felt a need to protect her from her mind, from her past, nightmares, and anything that could upset or hurt her. It was only after that he gradually heard her sobbing turn into small hiccups, then slow even breathing. "I love you," Ed whispered. "I love you so much. And I'm sorry… because… because I promised I would make you cry tears of joy and… I'm _so sorry, _Win."

She stirred, but was now sleeping peacefully. Edward had rectified her nightmare into something better. He really _was _protecting her without even knowing it. Still, the boy wondered what she had been dreaming about. What was it that terrified her so? If only he could reach inside her mind and defeat whatever monster lay there. He'd killed Homunculi after Homunculi, so surely there was a way to vanquish this enemy as well?

Edward pulled the sheets over Winry and himself, determined to stay here and keep her close to him so that there would be no more nightmares to speak of for tonight. Their blond hair mingled together, looking as if someone had thrown a bucket of straw over them. Every hour or so, Winry would shudder at some horrible leftover of the nightmare, but then – comforted by the warmth provided by Edward – she would quickly fall back to sleep. He dozed off a couple times, but proceeded to snap awake right before passing out completely.

He liked the feeling of being right beside her, being _there _for her. Even though she wasn't awake and didn't register his presence, it was still nice to be able to finally hold her to his chest and know for sure that she was fine, that she was safe.

Edward had been planning to leave the room before she woke up in the morning, but fell asleep before he managed to actually get himself out of bed. She was just so _warm. _Yeah, he blamed her warmth, and her hair, and her smell and _everything… _because there was no way he was blaming himself! Not even if she threw her wrench at him…

Which, she did. In the morning, Winry was quite horrified to see Edward Elric in her bed and snoring his head off, completely oblivious to the world around him.

"_Edward Elric! What the _hell_ are you doing here?!" _

"Relax Win-OW!" His sudden exclamation was due to the fact that his fiancé had thrown another wrench at him (apparently she kept extras). Before he could explain, she launched into the accusing questions.

"Did you… did… was I… uh… did we…?" Her face suddenly began to heat up as if she'd stuck her head in an oven. The color was starting to become more and more pronounced on Edward's face as well, but he tried to hide his embarrassment by looking at the ceiling, then at the floor… and then the ceiling again.

"O-of course not! You were just having a nightmare so I… I didn't… you…" Ed was really having a hard time forming this into words. So, taking a deep breath and trying to compose himself (while at the same time nursing his forehead), the former Fullmetal Alchemist launched straight into his answer. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk outside for a little while. Then… when I was passing your bedroom… you were crying and I thought that… you… well, I just wanted to… to make you stop and… and…"

"And you thought that sleeping in my bed all night would snap me out of it?" Winry supplied, looking more amused now than anything else. Ed's face flushed.

"What?! I… I guess so, because, you know… I… thought…" he flinched, poking at the red spot on his head and looking embarrassed. "Look, Winry, I thought I could protect you… from yourself."

"Myself?" Winry looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you were having a nightmare right?" Edward asked. "So I figured that braving it out on your own had to be kind of…"

At the mention of 'nightmare', Win's shoulders tensed like they had the day before. She tried to smile, but it looked painfully fake and definitely didn't reach her eyes. "Nightmare? I don't know what you're talking about, Ed. Didn't I tell you, yesterday? I don't have nightmares. Besides… you probably just dreamed that I was crying-"

Suddenly Ed had taken a step forward, his fingers grasping her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. His own were serious, and Winry felt the urge to back away or hit him with her wrench again. "I would _never _dream about something that horrible. You _were crying_."

"I was not!" The mechanic shouted, probably waking Pinako in the process. Despite her words, Win's eyes filled with tears in an instant. She blinked, pulling away from Ed and turning so he wouldn't see them slip silently down her face. "Leave me alone. _I will not cry again!" _

"Don't be so stubborn," the boy sighed, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Just… don't, alright? It's stupid."

"No… I can't cry…" she murmured, hiccuping out a choked sob. "I _won't." _

"Stop saying that! It's fine if you want to bawl, it's not as if I –"

"No it isn't! It isn't, because I can't! Don't you… don't you get it? If I cry, it'll be admitting that I have nightmares and it'll be admitting that I miss _them _still. I'll be admitting that I missed you and that I'm afraid every single day that you'll leave without saying goodbye again! That you might not come back this time! I'll… I'll be admitting… everything…"

"Stupid…"

Winry's eyes widened and she gave a startled sound in the back of her throat as Ed's grip became tighter around her waist, his fists clenched. "Huh?"

"Stupid… stupid Automail Geek…"

It took her a minute to realize what he was actually saying, but before Winry could launch into a pep talk about how he wasn't 'sensitive to other people's feelings', the pressure of his arms around her waist tightened even more. She was now only interested in explaining that he was going to seriously prevent her from breathing if he wasn't careful, yet, the realization that his shoulders were shaking stopped her right before the words could come out of her mouth. "Ed?" she asked quietly. "What…?"

"_Stupid! _How could you believe _that? _I wouldn't ever leave you again, _not ever_, you hear me? And if I did have to, then I'd tell you, Winry. I promised, didn't I?"

"Well… y-yeah… I suppose…"

Ed relaxed slightly. "Good."

* * *

><p><em>AN: First off, I would like to apologize profusely for how long this took me. I had this chapter all ready a while ago, but for some reason I was just too lazy to post it. I thought it might not be good enough (and honestly I'm still not satisfied completely with it). In any case, I hope you like this chapter and that I lived up to your expectations. Thank you ALL for the reviews! I love you guys so much! Every time I was favorited or someone would review I was just out of this world ecstatic. For serious. xoxoxox _


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